AU603857B2 - Improved ice making apparatus - Google Patents

Description

603 8571 FORM COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA PATENTS ACT 1952-1962 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION (Original) FOR OFFICE USE: 4 444 4 44 4 4 Class Int. Class Application Number: Lodged: 4 q4 0 a, 4 Complete Specification Lodged: Accepted: Published: This document contains the amendments made under Section 49 and is correct for printing.

Priority: Related Art: Name of Applicant: KING-SEELEY THERMOS CO Address of Applicant: 2700 Sanders Road, Prospect Heights, ILLINOIS 60070, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA Actual Inventor(s): Kenneth LeMoyne NELSON Address for Service: DAVIES COLLISON, Patent Attorneys, AMP- RBuilding, Hobart Place, Canberra, AGT 260- /-rel! 4oAl/g sYvfrei wrleo1 y/c, 3o.

Complete Specification for the invention entitled: IMPROVED ICE MAKING APPARATUS The following statement is a full description of. this invention, including the best method of performing it known to us 1 BMCK M PSROMA YO P-E InUMTION Generally, the present invention is directed toward a new and improved ice-making apparatus of the type kincluding a combination evaporator and ice-forming assembly having a substantially cylindrical freezing chamber with an auger rotatably mounted therein for scraping ice particles from the inner surface of the freezing chamber in order to form quantities of relatively wet and loosely associated ice particles. More specifically, the present invention is directed toward such an ice-making Sapparatus that preferably includes interchangeable head assemblies removably connectable to the combination evaporator and ice-forming o aosemrbly and adapted to produce different types of ice products, including

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relatively dry loosely associated flake or chip ice particles or discrete canpacted ice pieces of various sizes merely by preselectively ccnnecting the appropriate head assembly to the carombination evaporator and ice-forming assembly. -dt.ionally, he: ine tion- i- d'r tetd i Aicemaking apparatuS Wfhich inccrporat -a n w procd Sevaporator and ice- orming assebl a -new and improved auger ^jpgib~r-fer- an argc- kinf] Various ice-making machines and apparatus have been provided for o producing so-called flake or chip ice and have frequently included 04 0 0 0a S vertically-extending rotatable augers that scrape ice crystals or particles fran tubular freezing cylinders disposed about the periphery of the augers.

7he augers in saome of such prior devices typically urge the scraped ice in the form of a relatively wet and loosely associated slush through open ends of the freezing cylinders, and perhaps through a die or other device in order to form the flake or chip ice product. Still other prior ice-making machines or apparatuses have includied devices for forming the discharged slush into relativaly hard ice in order to form discrete ice pieces of various sizes, including relatively large ice pieces camionly referred to 1A -2- 1 as "cubes" and relatively small ice pieces commonly referred t 2 to as "nuggets". Such nugget ice pieces may have either a 3 regular shape or an irregular shape, and are larger than 4 flake or chip ice pieces, but are smaller than cube ice pieces. Nugget ice pieces are also sometimes referred to as 6 "small cubelets". Still other ice-making devices have 117 included mold-type .8tructures onto which unfrozen water is 8 sprayed or otherwise collected, frozen, and then released in II9 order to form such ice cubes or ice nuggets.

10 Typically the ice-making machines or apparatuses of the ii11 type described above have been exclusively adapted or 1 12 dedicated to the r-roduction of only one type of ice product, 13 namely flake or cnip ice, cube ice, or nugget ice.

I4 Therefo:e, if it was desired to have the capability of producing a variety of types of ice in a given installation, 16 as many as three or more separate ice-forming machines or II17 apparatuses were required. Such a situation has been found 18 to be highly undesirable due to the relatively high cost of 19 purchasing, installing and maintaining such separate iceforming machines or apparatuses, and due to the relatively 21 large amount of space required for such multiple 22 installations, The need has thus arisen for a single iceit23 making machine or apparatus that is capable of being II24 conveniently and easily adaptaitle to produce various types or forms of ice products, including flake or chip ice, cube 26 ice, or nugget ice.

27 According to the present invention, there is provided 28 an ice-making apparatus comprising*.

29 a refrigeration system including a combination 4 30 evaporator and ice-forming assembly adapted to receive ice 31 make-up water communicated thereto and to produce relatively 32 wet and loosely associated ice particles from said ice make- 33 up water, said combination evaporator and ice-forming 34 assembly further including an outlet end thereon through 3$ which said Wet and loosely associated ice particles are ~6 forcibly discharged;~ 7 a first interchangeable head assembly connectable to Oo6a16,kxIspe.oo$.kIhq,2 -3- 1 said combination evaporator and ice-forming assembly, said 2 first head assembly including compression means in 3 communication with said outlet end for forcibly compressing 4 quantities of said relatively wet and loosely associated ice particles in order to remove at least a portion of the 6 unfrozen water therefrom and form relatively dry and loosely 7 associated flaked ic-e particles; and 8 said compression means including an annular collar 9 member connectable to said outlet end of said combination evaporator and ice-forming assembly, said annular collar 11 member having an inlet opening extending therethrough in 12 communication with said outlet end in order to receive said 13 relatively wet and loosely associated ice particles forcibly 14 discharged therethrough, said compression means further including an inner member extending at least partially into 16 said collar member toward said inlet opening, said inner 17 member and said collar member being spaced from one another 18 to define therebetween an annular compression passage 19 terminating in an outlet annulus for discharging said relatively dry and loosely associated flaked ice particles 21 therethrough, said annular compression passage being in 22 communication with said inlet opening 6rid having a 23 decreasing annular cross-sectional area from said inlet 24 op~ening to said outlet opening in order to forcibly compress said wet and loosely associated ice particles forcibly 26 urged therethrough from said combination evaporator and ice 27 forming assembly, said compression means further including 28 resilient means for resiliently urging said inner member 29 toward said inlet opening in said collar member in order to resiliently and forcibly comproiss said wet and loosely 31 associated ice particles as they are forcibly urged through 32 satd annular compression passago.

33 it is accordingly a general object of the present 34 invention to provide a new and improved ice-making machine, (A 4 35 apparatus or system.

36Additional, objects, advantages and features of the.

(7 7 present inventiorn will become apparent from the following 000816,kXI6PO,00$.kin9,3 -4- 1 description and the appended claims, taken in conjunction 2 with the accompanying drawings.

3 4 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view of a combination 6 evaporator and ice-forming assembly of an ice-making 7 apparatus according to the present invention.

8 Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of the major 9 components 11 12 13 S" o 14 p ao 0 16 17 18 19 21 4 4 2 l 1 22 23 24 26 27 28 29 31 32 33 34 6 900816,)kx spe.008,king,4 L of a first interchangeable head assembly of the combination evaporator and ice-f orming assembly shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a partial cross-sectional view, similar to that of Figure 1, illustrating a second interchangeable head assembly foi the combination evaporator and ice-forming assembly shown in Figure 1.

Figure 4 is an exploded perspective view of the major components of the second interchangeable head assembly shown in Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a lateral cross-sectional view of the evaporator and freezing chamber portion of the combination evaporator and ice-forming assembly shown in Figure 1, taken generally along line 5-5 thereof.

Figure 6 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along line 6-6 of Figure 1.

Figure 7 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of an oulet manifold portion of an alternate embodiment of the combination evaporator and ice-forming assembly.

Figure 8 is an enlarged cross-sectional view illustrating the interconnection of a pair of axially-stacked cambinatio,,i evaporator and ice-forming assemblies according to one embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 9 is a perspective detail view of an alternate inner housing member for the combination evaporator and ice-forming assembly shown in Figures 1, 3 and 5 through 8.

Figure 10 is a perspectlve detail view of an &ftmate enodiment of the disc elements making up tho auger assembly in one embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 11 is an elevational view of a one-piece auger assembly according to another eTbodiment of the present invention.

Figure 12 is a cross-sectional view taken generally along line ~-~12-12 of Figure 11.

nREATT DCRIPTToH F TmO PRDES CF :"l Figures 1 through 12 depict exnemplary preferred embodiments of the present invention for purposes of illustration. One skilled in the art will readily recognize that the principLes of the present invention are equally applicable to other types of ice-making apparatus as well as to other types of refrigeration apparatus in general.

As shown in Figure 1, an ice-making machine or apparatus 10, in accordance with one preferred embodiment of the present invention, io.° generally includes a combination evaporator and ice-forming assembly 12 So operatively disposed between an ice product receiving area 16 and a SSuitable drive means assembly 18. As is conventional in the art, the o ice-making apparatus 10 is provided with a suitable refrigeration o compressor and condensor (not shown), which cooperate with the crombination evaporator and ice-forming assembly 12, all of which are connected through conventonal refrigeratic supply and return lines (not shown) and function a *i in the usual manner such khat a flowable gaseous refrigerant material at a relatively high pressure is supplied by the compressor to the condensor.

The gaseous refrigerant is cooled and liquified as it passes through the condensor and flows to the evaporator and ice-forming assembly 12 wherein the refrigerant is evaporated or vaporized by the transfer of heat from water which is being formed intc ice. 7he evaporated gaseous refrigerant then flows from the evaporaf:or and ice-forming asebly 12 back to the inlet or suction side of the compressor for recycling through the I refrigeration Eysemn Generally speaking, the combination evaporator and ice-forming assembly 12 includes an inner housing 20 defining a substantially cylindrical freezing chamber 22 for receiving ice make-up water therein. An axially-extending auger or auger assembly 26 is rotatably dispose4 vithin r

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the freezing chanmber 22 and generally includes a central body portion 28 with a generally spirally-extending -light portion 30 thereon disposed in the space between the o ntral body portion 28 and the inner surface of the inner housing 20 in order to rotatably scrape ice particles from the cylindrical freezing chamber 22. 7he drive means assembly 18 rotatably drives the auger 26 such that when unfrozen ice make-up water is introduced into the freezing chamber 22 through a suitable water inlet means 34 and frozen therein, the rotating auger 26 forcibly urges quantities of relatively wet and loosely associated slush ice particles 37 through the freezing chamber 22 to be discharged through an ice outlet end 36 of the at combination evaporator and ice-forming assembly 12.

he relatively wet and loosely associated slush ice particles 37 are formed on the inner surface of the inner housing 20 in the usual

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*40o44 manner by way of heat transfer between the freezing chamber 22 and an adjacent evaporator means 38, through which the above-mentioned refrigerant

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material flows from the refrigerant inlet 40 to the refrigerant outlet 42.

I I The refrigerant inlet and outlet 40 and 42, respectively, are connected to respective refrigerant supply and return lines of the above-mentioned conventional refrigeration system. The details of the auger assembly 26 and the evaporator means 38, as they relate to the present invention, will i be more fully described below.

In Figure 1, a first interchangeable bead assenbly 0SO is shwm removably connected to the outlet end 36 of the combination evaporator and ice-forming assembly 12 and is adapted for forming a relatively dry and loosely associated flake-type or chip-type ice product 52. As is described more fully below, the first head assembly 50 is removably connectable to the combination evaporator and ice-formiyn asrembly 12, as by threaded fasteners, for example, extending through a divider plate 46, which is preferably part of the ice outlet end 36 of the combination evaporator and *7 ice-forming assemrbly 12 and remaans thereon. 7he f irst head assembly 50 is interchangeable with at least one other head assembly (described below), wh~ich is also similarly removably connectable through the preferretd divider plate 46 to the combination evaporator and ice-forming assembly 12.

The preferred form of the first interchangeable head assembly shown in Figures 1 and 2, generally includes an annular collar member 54, removably connectable to the divider plate 46 pref ;ibly by way of threaded fasteners extending therethrough, and an inlet opening 56 in commnunication with one or more discharge openings 44 extending through the divider plate *e 46. 7he annular collar member 54 also includes an outer annular sleeve 00 portion 58, which generally surrounds the inlet opening 56 and is preferably defined by' a plurality of resilient andyieldable finger members 0 60 secured to, or integrally formed with, the remaind~er of the annular collar miember 54. It should also be noted that the divider plate 46 can be equip.ped with protuberances 45 between adjacent openings 44 or other means for preventing or limiting rotation of the ice particles 37 as they exit the outlet end 36 of the combination evaporator and ice-forming assembly 12.

An inner member 62 preferably includes a generally sloped or arcuate portion 63 extending at least partly into the interior of the outer annular sleeve portion 58 in a direction towiard the inlet opening 56. 7be inner member 62 and the outer annular sleeve portion 58 of the collar mrember 54 are spaced fromn one another to define therebetwee,. n annular comipression passage 64,r which terminates in an outlet anrnulus 66. B ecause of the sloped or arcuate configuration of the inner member portion 63, the annular comipression passage 64 preferably has a decreasing annular cross-sectional, area fromn the inlet opening 56 to the outlet annulus 66 in order to compress the wet and loosely associated slush ice particles 37 that are forcibly urged therethrough from the combination evaporator and

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ice-f orming assembly 12. In addition to such decreasing annular cross-sectional area, the resilient finger members 60 establish a resilient resistance to outward mviement of the wet and loosely associated ice particles 37 ii. order to further ecmpress such particles 37 and remove at least a portion of the unfrovzen water therefromn so as to form relatively dry and loosely associated flake or chip ice particles 52. 7he resilient fingers 60 also provide for a ufail-safe" feature in that they are resiliently yieldable at least in a radially outward direction in order to allow the ice particles 37 to continue to be discharged from the cutlet annulus 66 even in the event of a failure of the spring mesber 68 such that t the size and shape of the compression passage 64 is alt,,ered. Such fail-safe feature thus permits a continued, albeit somewhat strained, opqeration of the ice-waking apparatus even in the event of such a spring failure.

In addition to the above-discussed ccupressive forces exerted on the wet and loosely associated slush ice particles 37, the inner marber 62 is also resiliently directed or forced toward the inlet opening 56 by a spring n44ber 68 disposed in compression between the inner memrber 62 and a retainer member 70 axially fixed to the s"f t member 71 of the auger assembly 26. such spring member 68, as well as the resilient fingers serve to reduce the torque required to ;drive the auger assembly 26 and thereby lower the energy consumption of the ice-making apparatus. In the preferred form of the present invention, the retainer memrber 70 is axially f ixedto the shaft menber 71by apin meber 72 extending through one of a number of slots 74a, 74be 74c( or 74d (shown in Figure 2) in the retainer mrber 70 and through an aperture 76 in the shaft member 71. By urging the retainer member 70 toward the inlet opening 56 to compress the spring memer 68 enough so that the retainer ineiber 70 in clear of the pin member 72, the retainer mrber 70 can be rotated and then released so that the pin member 72 Inckingly engages any one of the slots 74a, 74b, 74c or 74d (see Figure Jeca use the axial depth of the slots 74a, 74b, 74c ard 74d varies from slot-to-slot, the mnitude of the resilient force exerted on the inner member 62 by the spring member 68 may be preselectively altered merely by changing slots, thereby preselectively altering the amount of unfrozen water compressively removed fran the relatively wet and loosely associated ice particles 37 being compressed in the annular cmpression passage 64. Thus, the relative dryness of the loosely associated flake or chip ice product 52 being discharged from the first interchangeable head assembly 50 may be preselectively altered to suit the desired quality of flake or chip ice products being produced in a given application.

It should be noted that in order to facilitate the ease of rotation of the retainer member 70 while the spring member 68 is ccuressed in order to change slots as described above, the retainer member 70 is preferably provided with radial indentations 77 that receive and engage radial protrusions 79 on the inner member 62. The indentations 77 and the protrusions 79 are both axtAlly elongated to allow the retainer member to slide aXially relative to the inner member 62, while being rotationally interlocked therewith. Thus since the inner member 62 is not directly fixed to the shaft member 71, it rotates with both the retainer merber and the spring member 68 during the slot dianging, thus avoiding the need to overcame the frictional engagement of the compressed spring %ember 68 with the retainer member 70 or the inner member 62 during rotation of the retainer member 70. Furthermore, during operation of the ice-making apparatus, the interlocking relationship of the retainer member 70 and the inner member 62 also causes the inner meber 62 to be rotated with the shaft member 71 by way of the retainer memer 70. Such rotation causes the inner memher 62 to polish or "trowel" the ice particles as they pass through the compression passage 64 in order to enhance the clarity, rz: 'LL 4 hardness and uniforrmity of size of the chip ice product 52 dischiarged fran the first head assembly It should be noted that any a number of known means f or preselectively fixing the retainer member 70 to various oxxial locations of the shaft imrber 71 nay be enplcyed, and also that in the emodiment shown in Figures 1 and 2, virtually any number of slots may be formed in the retainer member 70. It should further be noted that in lieu of the arrangement shown in Figures I and 2, the retainer member 70 can alternatively be provided with only a single slot or aperture for receiving ~the pin mer 7r2, and the shaft meiber 71 canbe provided with anumiber of apertures extending therethrough at various axial positions. In this, al ternate arrangement the ccanpression and resilient force of #,he spring member 68 can be preselectively altered by insertIng the pin mmiber 72 through the single aperture in the retainer member 70 and through a preselected one of the iiultiple apertures in the shaft ueaber 71., As illustrated in Figures 3 and 4, the first interchaneal headassembly 50 shown in Figures 1 and 2 can be disconnected and separated fromn above the divider plate 46 the comb~ination evaporator and ice-forming assembly 12, and a second interchangeable head assembly 80 can kxi removably, connected thereto in order to produce discrete relatively hard ccppactod ice pieces of the cube or nugget type. 2he second interctangeable head assembly 80 generally in~cludes a compiacting mewber 82 removably co- octed to the ccbination evaporator and ice-forming assembly 12, through the divider plate 46, and has a generally hollow internal chanber 84 therein, -which communicates with one or more discharge cpenings 44 in the divider plate 46. Mhe compacting mc;J'er 82 also includes a plurality of cempacting passages 86 in communication with the hollow internal chamber 84 and extending generally outwardly therefrcmn.

Preferably, an insert 94 is disposed within the hollc*, internal chamber 84 of the compacting member 82 and includes a plurality of resilient fingera 96 extending outwardly into the caopacting passages 86.

Because the resilient fingers 96 extend outwardly and slope generally toward the divider plate 46, and because the vanes 48 on the divider plate 46 slope generally toward the compacting member 82, the cross-sectional area of each of 'ie compacting passages 86 decreases from the hollow internal chamber 84 to their respective outer openings 87.

A cam member 88 is rotatably disposed within the hollow internal chamber 84 and is keyed or otherwise secured for rotation with the shaft T member 71. 7he cam menber includes one or more cam lobes 90 that forcibly engage and urge the relatively wet and loosely associated slush ice o particles 37 through the compacting passages 86 as the cam merber .88 is rotated in order to forcibly compress and compact the slush ice particles 37 into a relatively hard, substantially continuous, elongated caompacted ice form 98. An ice breaker 100, preferably having a riimber of internal ribs 101 thereon, is also secured to the shaft member 71 for rotation therewith and breaks the elongated ccacted ice form 98 into discrete 0 compacted ice cubes 102 as the shaft member 71 rotates. It should be noted that the cam member 88 preferably also includes an inlet passage 92 through LooIIL one or all of the cam lobes 90 for allowing the slush ice particles 37 to o °oo enter the hollow internal chamber 84 even when one of the cai lobes passes over one of discharge openings 44 in the divider plate 46.

Ihe ice cubes 102 have the same lateral cross-sectional shape and size as the elongated canpacted form 98 discharged fran the compacting pnolages 86, and the length of the ice cubes 102 is determined by the rozition of the ice breaker 100 relative to the outer openinga 87 of the corpacfing passages 86. Thus, in order to preselectively alter Iche length, ind therefore the size, of the ice cubes 102, a number of different cam top disc meibers 106 having different axial thicknesses may be interchangeably inserted between the ice breaker 100 and the upper portion of the cam member 88 in order to preselectively alter the position of the ice breaker 100 relative to the outer openings 87 of the compacting passages 86. It should be noted that as an alternate t- -oviding a number of cam top disc members 106 having different axial thicknesses, a preselected number of alternate cam top disc members having the same axia3 thicknesses may be axially stacked onto one another between the ice breaker 100 and the upper portion of the cam member 88 in order to preselectively alter the spacing between the ice breaker 100 and the outlet oenings 87 of the compacting passages 86.

In order to preselectively adapt the second interchangeable head assembly 80 for producing relatively hard compacted ice pieces of the nugget size or other size smaller than the ice cubes 102, an option4l 0 spacer ring 112 (shown in Figure 4) may be inserted in the hollow internal chamber 84 between the compacting member 82 and the insert 94. he preselective .insertion of the spacer ring 112 alters the position of the resilient fingers 96 in the capacting passages 86 and thereby reduces the lateraj, oross-sectional size of the outlet openings 87. In conjunction with the insertion of the spacer ring 112 into the hollow internal chamber 84, the position of the ice breaker 100 may also be preselectively altered as described above in order to preselectively alter the length of the smaller discrete ice pieces formed by the second interchangeable head assembly In this regard, it should be noted that a different cam member having a shorter axial height may be required to be substituted in place of the cam member 88, in order to produce very small nugget-size discrete ice pieces.

Such shorter axial height of the substitute cam member may be required in order to allow the ice breaker \00 to be positioned sufficiently clooer to the outer openLngs 87 to break off the elongated ice form 98 into nugget-size compacted ice pieces arAd also to provide vertical space for the b4 addition of the spacer ring 112.

It should be noted that the various components of the first and second interchangeable head assemblies described above can be molded from synthetic plastic materials in order to decrease their cost and weight.

The plastic materials should, however, be capable of withstanding the forces, low temperatures, and other parameters encountered by such components in an ice-making apparatus, such parameters being readily determinable by those skilled in the art. One preferred example of such a plastic material is Delrin brand acetal thermoplastic resin, which is available in a variety of colors for purposes of color-coding various components in order to facilitate ease of proper assembly and identification of parts. "Delrin" is a trademark of E. I. du Pont DeNemours Co. Other suitable materials, such as appropriate metals for example, can also alternatively be enplcyed.

Pa shown in Pigures 1, 5 and 6, the combination evaporator ai3 ice-forming assembly 12 features a new and improved evaporator means 38, which preferably includes the tubular inner housing 20 defining a '.osubstantially cylindrical fteezing chamber 22 therein, an outer jacket member 120 generally surrounding, and radially-spaced from, the inner housing 20, in order to define a generilly annular refrigerant chamber 122 therebe.ween. The generally annular refrigerant chamber 122, which is sealingly closed at both axial ends, contains the flowable refrigerant material being evaporated, as described above, in respose to the heat transfer fran the water being frozen into the wet and loosely associated slush ice particles 37 in the freezing chamber 22. In order to enhance the turbulent flow of the refrigerant material through the annular refrigerant chamber 122, and to substantially maximize the heat transfer surface area of the oter surface of eie inner housing 20, the outhr surface of the inner housing 20 preferably includes a plurality of d!iscontinuities, such as the fin-like members 126, protruding into the refrigerant chamber 122.

The fin-like members 126 on the inner housing 20 can be formed in many different configurations, including but not limited to a generally axially-extending configuration, as shown for example in Figures 1, 3, and through 8, or in the spirally-extending configuration of the fin-like members 126' on the alternate inner housing 20' shown for example in Figure 9. The spirally-extending configuration shown in Figure 9 can advantageously be used in applications where possible fatigue of the fin-like members is to be avoided or minimized. In either case, the t* f fin-like members 126 (or 126') are circumferentially-spaced with respect to one another about substantially the entire outer surface of the inner S housing 20. Furthermore, the radial dimension of the fin-like menbers 126 (or 126') should be sized to provide good heat transfer without unduly S restricting the flow of the refrigerant material through the refrigerant chamber 122. In one experimental prototype of the combination evaporator and ice-forming assembly 12, such radial dimension of the fin-like members was sized to be approximately one-half of the radial space between the Sinner surface of the outer jacket member 120 and the outer ends of the fin-like members. It is not yet known whether or not this relationship .is optimum, however, and other dimensional relationships may be determined by one skilled in the art to be more advantageous in a particular application and for a particular configuration of fin-like members. In addition to the provision of the fin-like members on the inner housing 20, the inner surface of the outer jacket member 120 can optionally be provided with dimples or ripples, or otherwise textured, in order to further enhance the turbulent flow of the refrigerant material through the annular refrigerant chamber 122.

he inlet end of the evaporator means 38 preferably includes a generally channel-shaped inlet member 128 surrounding the outer jacket A/ k 1 ^_0 member 120 in order to define a generally annular inlet manifold chamber 130 therebetween. A plurality of circumferentially-shaped inlet apertures 1'2 are provided through the outer jacket member 120 in order to provide fluid communication between the annular inlet manifold chamber 130 and the annular refrigerant chamber 122. Similarly, a generally channel-shaped outlet member 134 is provided at the opposite axial end of the evaporator means 38 and surrounds the outer jacket member 120 to define a generally annular outlet manifold chamber 136 therebetween. In order to provide comunication between the outlet manifold chamber 136 and the refrigerant ,chamber 122, the outer jacket menter 120 is provided with a plurality of circumferentially-spaced outlet apertures 138 generally at its axial end a 2 adjacent the channel-shaped outlet member 134. It should be noted that in addition to providing fluid cammunication between their respective inlet o*,,,aand outlet manifold chambers 130 and 136, the inlet and outlet apertures 132 and 138, respectively, also provide a manifolding function that enhances the turbulence of the refrigerant material flowing therethrough and facilitates an even distribution of refrigerant material throughout the circumference of the annular refrigerant chamber 122.

Preferably, the refrigerant inlet conduit 40 is connected in a tangential relationship with the channel-shaped inlet merbner 128 in order to direct the refrigerant material into the inlet manifold chamber 130 in a generally tangential direction, thereby enhancing the swirling cr turbulent mixing and distribution of the refrigerant material throughout the inlet manifold chamber 130 and into the annular refrigerant chamber 122, as illustrated schematically by the flow arrows shown in Figure 5. The refrigerant outlet conduit 42 can similarly be connected to the channel-shaped outlet member 134 in a tangential relationship therewith or can optionally be connected in a generally radially-extending configuration as shown in the drawings.

Figure 7 illustrates an alternate embodiment of the evaporator means of the present invention, wherein the outer jacket member 120a includes a generally channel-shaped inlet portion 140 integrally formed therein. 7he integral channel-shaped inlet portion 140 surrounds the inner housing 20 and thus defines an annular inlet manifold chamber 141 therebetween. A series of circurmferentially-spaced protuberances 142 are integrally formed about the circumference of the outer jmc.:et member 120a.

Ihe protuberances 142 protrude into contact with the outer surface of the inner housing 20 in order to 'z.intain a radially spaced relationship between the inner housing 20 and the outer jacket merber 120a thus defining the annular refrigerant chamber 122 therebetween. The circumferential Sspaces between adjacent protuberances li? provide fluid communication o0'. between the annular inlet manifold chamber IU and the refrigerant chamber o° 122. It should be noted that in the alternate embodiment shown in Figure o'*o 7, an annular outlet manifold chamber can also be formed by an integral 0*004: 0:0: channel-shaped outlet portion similar to the integrally-formed inlet portion 140.

Preferably in either of the above-described embodiments, the inner i t housing 20 includes a flange portion 146 extending radially from each of S its opposite axial ends so that a number of the inner housings 20 may be ct sealingly stacked and interconnected to one another in a generally continuous axially-extending series as shown in Figure 8. In such an arrangement, the freezing chamber 22 of the inner hmsing rmmbers 20 are in coanunication with one another with the flange portions 146 in a nutually abutting relationship and secured together such as by a clamping menrber 148, as aho'/n in Figure 8, or alternatively by other suitable clamping means. In such an arrangement, the inner housing members 20 are oriented sch that the water inlet end of the inner housing 20 at one end of the series constitutes the water inlet for the entire series. Similarly, the 4 ice outlet end of the inner housing member 20 at the opposite axial end of the series constitutes the ice outlet end of the evaporator series. Each of the axially-stacked inner housing members 20 has an outer jacket mmaber and inlet and outlet manifold chambers, such as those described above, so that virtually any numter of such evaporator assemblies may be axially stacked together to achieve a predetermined desired capacity for the ice-making apparatus.

As is the case for the various copponents of the first and second interchangeable head assemblies discussed above, the various component parts of the evaporator means may also be molded from a suitable synthetic °plastic material, such as the preferred Delrin brand acetal thermoplastic 0 a resin for example. Other suitable non-plastic materials may, of course, Salso be used.

Figure 1 illustrates a preferred auger assembly 26, according to present invention, which generally includes a central body portion 28 with at least one flight portion 30 extending generally in a spiral path along substantially the entire axial length of the auger assembly 26. In 4 4 the preferred form of the invention, the spiral flight portion 30 is formed by a number of discontinuous flight segments 162 disposed in a generally end-to-end relationship with one another with each segment extending in a generally spiral direction along part of the spiral path of the flight portion 30. Adjacent end-to-end pairs of the discontinuous flight segments 162 are spirally misaligned relative to one another in order to form a spiral non-uniformity 164 between each pair. 7he spiral misalignments or nrKw-unifornities 164 tend to break up the mass of ice particles scraped from the interior of the freezing chamber 22 as the auger 26 is rotated.

It has been found that the breaking up of such ice particles as they are scraped fram thc freezing chwamr. 22 significantly reduces the amount of power necessary to rotatably drive the auger assembly. It should be noted that although only one spiral flight portion 30 is reguired in most applications, a numbter of separate spiral flight portiorns 30 axially spaced frcin one another and extending along separate spiral pathis on the periphery of the central body portion 28 may be desirable in a given ice-making appratus.

Preferably, the central body portion 28 and the spiral flight portion 30 of the auger assembly 26 are made up of a plurality of discrete disc elements 170 axially stacked on one another and keyed to, or otherwise secured for rotation with, the shaft member 71. 7he spiral non-uniformities 164 are preferably located at the interface between axially adjacent pairs of the disc elements 170. This preferred construction of the auger assembly 26 allows the discrete disc elements 170: to be individually mo~lded ~,from a synthetic plastic material, which significa'ntly decreases the cost Sand complexity involved in manufacturing the auger assembly 26, SFurthermore, such a construction provides a wide range of flexibility in the design and production of the auger assembly 26, including the ,,flexibility of providing different slopes of the spiral ly-ex tending flight segments 162 from disc-to-disc, molding or otherwise forming different disc elements in the auger assembly 26 from different materials, such as plastics, cast brass, sintered metals, for example, and color-coding one or more of the disc eleme~nts 170 in order to aid in th~j assembly of the disc elements 170 on the shaft member 71 in the proper seguerce. Another example of the flexibility provided by the preferred multi ?le-disc construction of the auger assembly 26 is the capability of providing specially-shaped flight segments or harder materials on thle inlet and outlet end disc elements. Another additional adviantage of the preferred auger assembly 26 is that in the event that a part of the spiral flight pa,, Aion 30 is damaged scxnehowt only the affected disc elements 170 need to be replaced rather than replacing the entire auger assembly.

Q9- ByT providing such a multiple-disc construction for the auger assembly 26, the individual flight segments 162 on each disc element 170 can separately flex in an axial direction as the auger assembly 26 forcibly urges the scraped ice particles in an axial direction within the freezing chamber. Such axial flexibility greatly aids in the reduction or dampening of axial shock loads on the auger assembly 26 and thereby increases bearing lif e.

Figure 10 illustrates an alternate embodiment of the disc elements f or the auger &ssembly 26, wherein the centr-al body portion 28 and the spiral flight portion 30 are miade up of alternate disc elements 170a, which are provided with off set mting faces 176. Such offset faces 176 can be enplca'ed to rotationally interlock the disc elements 170a with respect to one another in addition to the above-mentioned keying or otherwise securing Sof the disc elements 170 to the shaf t member 71. Mdditionally, the shape or size of the stepped portions of the offset faces 176 can be varied f rct disc-to-disc in order to prevent assembly of the disc elements on the shaf t memb~er 7,X in an imp~roper axial sequence.

Figures and 12 illustrate still another alternate embodiment of the present invention wherein an alternate auger assembly 26a includes a central body portion 180 and a spiral flight portion 1r,, both of which are integrally mo.lded as a one-piece structure onto a rotatable core member 184. The spira, flight portion 182 is made up of a plurality of discontinuous flight segments 186 that are spirally misalgned relative to one another as described above in rconnection with the preferred auger assembly 26.

In order to facilitate the parting of the mol1d assembly used to integrally mold. the central body portion 180 and the spiral flight portion 182 onto the rotatable core membter 184, the discontinuous spiral flight segments 186 are prefer Iably interconnected by generally flat 1 interconnecting flight segments 190, which also form the spiral misalignments or non-uniformities between end-to-end adjacent flight segments 186. Each of the interconnecting flight segments 190 extends generally transverse to its associated discontinuous flight segments 186 and are preferably disposed generally perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the auger. Furthermore, in order to facilitate the parting of the mold apparatus used to form the alternate auger assembly 26a, the interconnecting flight segments 190 are preferably circumferentially aligned with one another along each of at least a pair of generally axially-extending loci on diametrically opposite sides of the central body ,:portion 180, as shown in Figure 11. It should also be noted that split ,'interconnecting flight segments similar to the one-piece interconnecting °flight segments 190 in the alternate auger assembly 26 may also be ,,'optionally provided on the preferred auger assembly 26 having discrete disc ":""elements 170 axially stacked on the shaft member 71, as described above.

As with the other components of the present invention described above, the disc elements 170 )r 170a) of the auger assembly 26 and the one-piece central body portion 180 and flight portion 182 of the auger assembly 26a can be molded from a synthetic plastic material, such as Delrin brand acetal thermoplastic resin for example. Of course other suitable non-plastic materials can alternatively be employed.

In any of the alternate embodiments of the auger assembly shown and described herein, either a single spiral flight portion or a number of spiral flight portions may be provided. Also, instead of integrally molding the discontinuous flight segments onto the central bodies of either the preferred auger assembly 26 or the alternate auger assembly 26a, discrete flight segments composed of various metals or other dissimilar materials may be integrally molded into either the discrete disc elements 170 or into the one piece central body 180, respectively. Finally, in order to minimize the radial side loads on the bearings for either the shaft member 71 or the rotatable core merber 184, the leading or scraping surfaces (shown as upper surfaces in the drawings) of the flight portions in any of the embodiments of the auger assembly preferably protrude radially outwardly from the central body in a direction substantially perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the auger assembly. Thus, by substantially eliminating or minimizing the axial slope of such leading or scraping surfaces, the rotation of the auger assembly forcibly urges the scraped ice particles primarily in an axial direction, with relatively little radial force component, thereby minimizing radial side loads on the bearings.

The foregoing discussion discloses and describes exemplary embodiments of the present invention. One skilled in the art will readily recognize from such discussion that various changes, modifications and variations may be made therein without departing fran the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the following claims.

Claims (6)

1. 2. Ice-making apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said combination evaporator and ice-forming assembly includes a housing defining a substantially cylindrical freezing 9 11 32 oa 13 °0 S 14 0 0 0* 4 16 17 *4 4 18 19 21 22 23 24 26 27 28 29 31 32 33 34 G9 p 900816', lePS.OOO. k~i. 24 I MA JS 26 chamber for receiving said ice makei-up water therein, refrigexation means adjacent said freezing chamber, an auger rotatably mounted in said freezer chamber, said auger having a body portion having a diameter less than the internal diameter of said housing to provide a space therebetween, said auger further having a generally spiral flight disposed in said space with the outer edge of said flight being positioned closely adjacent the inner surface o o of said housing, and means for rotating said auger, whereby a layer of ice freezingly S. formed on said inner surface of said housing is scraped therefrom by said flight as said auger is rotated.
2. 3. Ice-making apparatus as defined in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein said compression means further includes means for preselectively altering the magnitude of the resilient force exerted on said inner member by said resilient means, thereby preselectively altering the amount of unfrozen water dompressively removed from said relatively wet and loosely associated ice particles.
3. 4. Ice-making apparatus as defined in claim 3, wherein said resilient means comprises a retainer member adapted to be removably fixed relative to said collar member on a side of said inner member opposite said collar member, it- and a spring member disposed in compression between said retainer member and said inner member, the relative position of said retainer member and said collar member being preselectively alterable in order to preselectively alter the amount of compression of said spring member. Ice-making appara us as defined in any preceding claim, wherein said collar member includes a plurality of resilient fingers spaced from said inner member for resiliently compressing said wet and loosely associated ice particles therebetween. I6 Ice-making apparatus as defined in claim wherein said resilient fingers are resiliently yieldable at least in a radially outward direction to allow said ice particles to be forcibly discharged from said outlet annulus in the event of failure of said resilient means, thereby allowing said ice-making apparatus to continue to operate in the event Sof said failure.
4. 7. Ice-making apparatus as defined in claim 5 or claim 6, wherein said compression means further includes means for preselectively altering the magnitude of the resilient force exerted on said inner member by said resilient means, thereby preselectively altering the PEL^
5. 27- 1 amount of unfrozen water compressively removed from said 2 relatively wet and loosely associated ice particles. 3 4 8. Ice-making apparatus as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, further including a second interchangeable head assembly 6 preselectively interchangeable with said first head assembly 7 and removably connectable to said combination evaporator and 8 ice-forming assembly, said second head assembly comprising: 9 compacting means in communication with said outlet end for forcibly compressing said relatively wet and loosely 11 associated ice particles in order to remove a substantial 12 portion of the unfrozen water therefrom and to compact said 13 wet and loosely associated ice particles into substantially 14 monolithic relatively hard compacted ice; means for discharging said compacted ice from said 16 second head assembly in a substantially continuous elongated 17 form having a predetermined cross-section; S 18 ice breaker means for breaking said elongated compacted 19 ice form into discrete compacted ice pieces of a predetermined length and having substantially the same 21 cross-section as said discharged elongated ice form; and S22 said compacting means including means for S* 23 preselectively altering the cross-sectional size of said 24 discharged elongated compacted ice form in order to 25 preselectively alter the size of said discrete compacted ice 26 pieces. 27 28 9. Ice-making apparatus as defined in claim 8, wherein 29 said ice breaker means includes means for preselectively altering the position of said ice breaker means relative to 31 said compacted ice discharge means in order to 32 preselectively alter the length of said discrete compacted 33 ice pieces, said ice-making apparatus thereby being 34 preselectively adaptable for producing discrete compacted ice pieces of a number of preselected sizes. O^ 36 u 37 k oi 38
6. 900816.hxlspe.0Q8,k4ng,27 i 1 2 3 4 6 7 8 9 11 12 13 14 16 17 18 19 21 22 23 24 26 27 S 28 29 31 32 33 34 28 10. Ice-making apparatus as defined in claim 8 or claim 9, wherein said compacting means includes a compacting member connectable to the outlet means of said combination evaporator and ice-forming assembly and having a generally hollow internal chamber therein, said internal chamber being in communication with said outlet end when said compacting member is connected thereto in order to receive said relatively wet and loosely-associated ice particles forcibly discharged therefrom, said compacting member also having a plurality of compacting passages in communication with said internal chamber 9816.kpe.QO8sq,1lB, 28 S__-J S31- and extending generally outwardly through said compacting member, a rotatable cam member disposed for rotation within said internal chamber, said rotatable cam member being connectable to drive means for rotating said rotatable cam member and having at least one lobe portion thereon for forcibly engaging and urging said relatively wet and loosely associated ice particles generally outwardly from said internal chamber through said compacting passages as said cam member is d 0 rotated in order to forcibly compress said relatively wet and loosely associated ice particles into said relatively hard compacted ice., Ice-making apparatus as defined in claim 1Q, wherein said compacting means further includes resilient means in said compacting passages for resiliently compressing and compacting said relatively wet and loosely associated ice particles therein. 1U 1 I A i-.La Ice-making apparatus as defined in claim 14, wherein said compacting passages have outlet openings at their outer ends, said compacting means further including resilient finger members disposed in said compacting passages for resiliently compressing and compacting said relatively wet and loosely associated ice particles therein, said resilient finger Smembers being disposed in said compacting a 4a 'passages at an angular relationship therewith so that the cross-sectional area of each of said compacting passages decreases from said chamber to said outer openings, the cross-section of said discharged elongated compacted ice form being substantially the same as said cross-section of said outlet openings. 8±3JS, Ice-making apparatus as defined in claim 1%, wherein said compacting means further includes means for preselectively altering the position of said resilient fingers in said compacting passages in order to preselectively alter the cross-sectional size of said elongated compacted ice form. If If Ice-making apparatus as defined in claim 1 or in claim 8, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Dated this twentieth day of January 1988 S"r' KING-SEELEY THERMOS CO. r by its Patent Attorneys DAVIES COLLISON